"We head for McDonald's before coming out or have sandwiches or something," says Louise, so that they are not drinking on an empty stomach.

The girls say they don't think that binge drinking is a problem for them.

"I know when to stop," says Lindsey. "I always remember everything I have done and said. Some girls just don't remember anything."

Michelle admits that she does believe women are drinking to extremes these days.

"When it comes to knocking back the alcohol women are getting worse than men now," she says.

Page 2: The facts

The facts

According to the Institute of Alcohol Studies, there is no internationally agreed definition of binge-drinking but UK drinking surveys normally define binge-drinkers as women consuming at least six standard units of alcohol a day and men consuming eight.

The Department of Health advises that men should stick to three to four units of alcohol a day, and women should drink two to three units of alcohol per day.

Short-term problems of drinking too much include bad hangovers, moodiness, tiredness, poor concentration, time off work and increased risk of unsafe sex, attack, injury and car accidents.

Your body needs at least 48 hours to recover from a binge, and steady drinking leads to permanent physical changes.

Brain: Reduces brain tissue, depriving the brain of vitamins, most commonly Thiamine, one of the B vitamins, a lack of which can lead to mental disturbance.

The heart: Pumping action is weakened, which can result in heart failure.

The liver: Two-thirds of the cases of cirrhosis of the liver diagnosed in the UK are caused by alcohol.

The stomach: Irritation leading to sickness and pain.

Cosmetic: The skin often appears flushed as blood vessels near the surface widen. There is often a serious weight gain due to alcohol's high carbohydrate content.

Keep it healthy: If you do enjoy the occasional drink, the good news is that some alcohol actually has health benefits - when drunk in moderation

Red wine: High in antioxidants, red wine protects the heart by lowering cholesterol levels. But food expert Elizabeth Jefferson says: "Drinking red grape juice is just as good as drinking wine."

Cider/sherry: If red wine isn't your tipple, then cider or sherry contain a similar level of antioxidants.

Guinness: Jefferson says there is merit to Guinness's age-old claim that it's good for you: "It is quite a nutritious drink but don't rely on it."

What to do if you drink too much:

* Quench your thirst with water; * Alternate alcoholic with non-alcoholic drinks; * Try wine spritzers; * Choose low-cal mixers and drink with single measures of spirits; * Beware of alcopops - they are packed with sugar and calories; * Keep creamy cocktails for those really special occasions; * Watch the size of the glass. Wine is often served in 250ml glasses - twice the size of what used to be a standard drink. Even a 'small' glass is now typically 175ml.

Earlier this week the Government announced a crackdown on binge drinking and booze-fuelled violence.

The national campaign will focus on hotspots for binge drinking, where violence can easily break out unless there is a significant police presence.

A Home Office spokeswoman said: "What we are looking to do with the campaign is to kick off a change of culture, knowing that irresponsible bars and clubs can't get away any longer with encouraging binge drinking."

The UK now has the highest level of female binge-drinking in Europe, according to the latest research.

Given the fast-growing nationwide trend for ordering wine by the bottle rather than the glass, health experts are warning that it's time to put an end to excessive boozing.

But with 96pc of British bars and pubs replacing traditional small wine glasses (125ml) with ones that hold a third of a bottle (250ml), women have once again been warned that they could be drinking too much.

Many restaurants and hotels have also phased out the small glasses.

A recent survey revealed that 23pc of women aged between 16 and 24 drink more than the safe weekly levels which the Government has set at 14 units - that's about seven drinks per week.